How Gasly guided Tsunoda through F1's 'toughest' midfield

Pierre Gasly has revealed AlphaTauri team-mate Yuki Tsunoda "didn't expect to struggle" as much as he did during his rookie F1 season but believes the level of the sport's midfield played a role in his difficulties.

Red Bull junior Tsunoda made the step up from F2 to F1 last season and although impressing on his debut in Bahrain with a points finish, he primarily toiled during his maiden campaign.

The season was accentuated with multiple incidents and a lack of pace compared to team leader Gasly, who was one of the standout performers of the year, although the Japanese driver did find form in the final few races.

Discussing how he was able to lead the team and aid Tsunoda, speaking in an end-of-season interview including GPFans, Gasly said: "It's difficult because it takes so much energy focusing on your own thing.

"I think listening from what Yuki says he learned quite a lot from looking at the data, seeing the way I work with the team, and just seeing my approach.

"I think he probably didn't expect to struggle that much, from what he says, coming into Formula 1. The level in F1 at the moment in the midfield, it's really hard.

"A four-time world champion driving for Aston Martin with a double-time world champion driving for Alpine, very strong lineup in Ferrari, very strong lineup in McLaren, even Kimi, champion at Alfa Romeo.

"The level is really high and probably higher than even the last couple of years. For sure, as a rookie, coming in was not easy."

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